In The News Inc. Blog

Frank Lugo and his wife, Martha Lugo, are the proud new co-owners of their very own "Orange Theory Fitness" franchise gym location. Both members of the husband and wife duo have a background in business, and have been looking to open a business location of their own for a while. After experiencing the Orange Theory Fitness workout for themselves at the South Tampa location, the Lugos decided that they wanted to open a franchise studio of their own at 11721 W. Hillsborough Avenue in Westchase, Florida.

The Lugos are residents of the Countryway area and state that owning the Westchase franchise location gives them "the advantage of living six minutes from our business" as Martha Lugo states in an interview for the WestchasePatch, an online newsletter publication that covers events in the Tampa Bay area. Prospective members of the Westchase Orange Theory Fitness franchise will be able to rest easy knowing that their new exercise destination is owned and operated by a family that is a part of their community.

The Westchase's Orange Theory Fitness workout includes treadmill exercise, indoor rowing, weight training, and resistance training that takes place over the course of a sixty-minute workout. These workouts are done as part of a group being supervised by a personal trainer who provides assistance and inspiration to the members of the group as needed.

Another benefit of such group exercise is pointed out in a New York Times article by fitness consultant Tony Santomauro when he mentions that "people who take personal training and do group fitness classes are more likely to stick with a gym." When people engage in the group exercise, the sense of communal support can help motivate them to keep up with their exercise program and meet their fitness goals.

This group dynamic to the exercise is one of the features that drew the Lugos to become a franchisee of Orange Theory Fitness. As Frank Lugo said in an interview with the WestchasePatch, "It's making personal training affordable. You're sharing that cost and getting the same workout as a personal trainer." By splitting the cost of a personal trainer amongst a group of people, gym members save on the cost of going to the gym while still receiving the professional guidance that they need to optimize their workout experience.

Other features of the Lugo's Orange Theory Fitness workout will include heart rate and calorie burn monitors to measure the exact effect on each person undergoing the exercise. This information allows the personal trainers to help tailor the program to the needs of each person in the group to maximize the effect of the workout. The Lugo's Orange Theory Fitness gym will also boast specialized mood lighting, music, and stylistic décor to help motivate exercisers in addition to the treadmills, rowing machines, suspension units, free weights, and benches that are used in the actual exercise programs.

The Lugos recently made a splash in the news. In a WestchasePatch article titled "What's Up With the Orange Bikes in Westchase?" the inventive promotional campaign launched by the Lugos is explained. In this creative bit of advertising, the Lugos distributed several bright orange bicycles throughout the Westchase community in order to provoke curiousity and discussion about their soon-to-be opened Orange Theory Fitness franchise in Westchase. The Lugos' marketing strategy was a success, making news and generating interest in the upcoming franchise.

Even though the franchise will be the fifth Orange Theory Fitness location in the Tampa Bay area, the creative zest that the Lugos demonstrated in their orange bike buzz campaign will help to distinguish them from the rest of their competition.

To celebrate their successful advertisement campaign, the Lugos decided to have In The News create a plaque of the WestchasePatch article featuring their orange bike adventure. This article which highlights the Lugo's local roots and inventive exploits has now been immortalized as a professionally designed and engraved plaque. As long as their plaque exists, the Lugos will be able to share the story of their franchise's founding with everyone who visits their new franchise. Friends, family, and customers alike will be able to enjoy the tale of the Lugos' inventive advertising campaign.

New customers who visit the Westchase Orange Theory Fitness will be able to see the plaque of their news article demonstrating the Lugo's creative drive and dedication to be an outstanding franchise. Such customers will know that the Lugos are a local presence who live within the community the Lugo's business will serve. Knowing that the Lugos are locals verified by a local source of community info allows customers to trust that the Lugos will do their utmost to provide the best exercise experience possible. For start-up and small businesses trying to establish themselves, the importance of being able to gain the trust of new customers cannot be underestimated.

In The News was happy to format the Lugo's inaugural web article into a permanent physical trophy for them. May the happy couple continue to enjoy success in their endeavors to make the Westchase Orange Theory Fitness a fruitful part of the Tampa Bay community. It is our hope that the Lugos will continue to be featured In The News for years to come.